Which car?

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Ok,$10,000 is my limit,but I would like to keep it under $8000 if possible.

I would like something under the hood as opposed to a '100hp no fun at all' engine.Yeah,it will cost me more in gas,but hey,it will still be better than an suv.

Lay em' on me!

A few ive had my eye on...

Camaro(180-190hp)
Impala(Something like 170hp if i'm not mistaken)
Mustang(190hp on most models)
JettaGLX(the V6R I think?...whatever has 174 horses)

[Re2point0]

get a like 76 cutlas or sumthing like that

I dunno

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Did I mention I would like something reliable too?

[PonyOne]

Camaro(180-190hp)
Impala(Something like 170hp if i'm not mistaken)
Mustang(190hp on most models)
JettaGLX(the V6R I think?...whatever has 174 horses)

-6 cyl Camaro's are fairly fun, reliable, and the get a decent amount of torque. you may get snubbed by the Camaro faithful for having a V6 instead of a V8, but you'll also pay less in gas and insurance.

-Impalas... you have two types: the 1996 RWD model that is based on the Caprice chassis but has nicer trim and interior as well as the awesome LT1 Corvette 5.7 engine, but, they tend to cost more to buy and to insure. the current Impalas have a few advantages: despite what some people may say, the cost of ownership is really low, reliability is high, and they can be had used for way cheap. look at one of the LS models; it has a "3800 series V6" (i.e. 3.8l V6) that gets 200 horsies, and the leather interior is well-made and durable. the base models, just called the Sedans, use a "3400 Series" (3.4l V6) and gets about 180hp.

the first dealership i worked for was a Chevy dealer, and i can honestly tell you they're good cars; fairly quick, nice ride, and well-built, but they do not handle at all so if you want a canyon carver... keep looking. the difference in feel between the 3800 and the 3400 is not huge, so, you aren't taking a big step down if you get the 3.4. they look especially good in black with a tan interior and tinted windows, or Sandstone metallic with a tan interior.

-Mustangs: avoid. they are built like arse, they handle like arse, they resell like arse, and they feel cheap even compared to the Camaro, which isn't exactly the most inspiring-to-drive car ever itself. they also cost a lot for insurance and are high up on the stolen car list.

-Jetta GLX... what can i say, i own one and love it. if you want the VR6, it was also available in the GLS model; you just don't get the power seats. i'd advise getting the manual transmission model; more fun and more reliable.

[7-stringer]

a lime green gremlin?
a flaming pink pacer?
or maybe a rainbow pinto?

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

hmmm...I think I will take your advice pony for the models.

Oh yeah,I was also looking at a *cough trans am*(225-305 hp).....whats your take on pontiacs ponyone?

[CW14]

How about this...
http://worldtrip.iwebland.com/GIFs/BALTIC/CD112246.jpg

You should definately be able to pick one up for under $8000

[Homebrew1709]

How about a mid-late 90's Maxima. I had one until this year. Nissan reliablilty, plenty of power (190 or 200 hp depending on the year). Or if you're looking for something more sporty, how about a Honda Prelude? I'm partial towards imports so i would say any Toyota, Honda, or Nissan should suit you fine.

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Well,like guitars,I want the best bang for my buck...I would rather pay a little more on insurance and gas than putt around in a kia sephia or hyundai accent(both of which I considerd before driving my moms daewoo for a while.)I want something that can appreciate/handle a lead foot when the light turns and that nice strip of highway in georgia with a posted limit of 90mph(more like 150mph).

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Toyotas are bleh...my brother had two corollas..one,the trans died and the other had some axl problem.The celicas are economy cars wrapped in a sporty package.Honda accords/civics have nice life spans,but are grossly overpriced(especially by private sellers).

The nissan maxima does seem to be a reliable mainstay(I think 70% of all teachers drive one).

[Homebrew1709]

Well, I wasn't thinking Corolla when i said Toyota, but there's a reason they're soon to be the biggest automaker in the world. How about an Acura Integra or Legend? Maybe an older BMW 3 series? There's a Carmax in Tampa and they usually have a solid selection.

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

The acura integra's are nice,but a bit overpriced for what you get.I havn't looked into BMW yet.I'm skeptical of how much car I could get for under 10k with a break my windows...I will check though.

[PonyOne]

a Firebird or Trans Am is mechanically 100% identical to a Camaro. reliability is good, power is identical, etc. i personally find Pontiac's styling horrendous but it wouldn't be a bad choice, and a white or black trans am wouldn't be a bad looking car either. they are magnets for cops, though. just remember though, that with gas prices as high as they are here (about $2.80 here in LA :eek: ) that any car with a 350 may get to be a bit more costly down the road...

maxima's aren't bad cars at all, they do have good power, and reliability wise they're fine, but, they don't age gracefully; the styling looks dated quick, and in terms of the interior and exterior bits they seem to wear down quick and many of the switches/etc inside were identical from 1988 to 2003... may not be a big deal to you, but, i look at these little touches. with a chip and intake a Maxima will haul balls but they only handle slightly better than an Impala does; a Jetta will still mutilate it in the turns.

Preludes. honestly, one of the most fun cars i ever drove was a '97 Lude. the engines are only 4cyl, but they're pretty big 4's; 2.2 liters (the engine code is the H22, if you're interested...) and they have some goodies built in like Vtec, or variable valve timing; basically the valves can be opened and closed differently according to how it's driven as opposed to in a linear fashion like in most cars. what this means is better economy and performance; with Hondas in particular, it means you can rev to 9k and get power right up until you hit the line.

handling wise the things are killer; they can really fly through a turn well, and are a total blast. the stick tranny is really nice and precise though the knob feels too big and chunky, and the auto tranny comes with a tiptronic shifting mode that is faster and more accurate (and fun!) than those on a Boxster or Carrera. honest. but they are also stolen fairly often, and this combined with it being a small coupe means insurance is pretty heavy.oh and the back seat is really only for show... or... i suppose if you have kids or a tiny girlfriend...

i'd avoid integras. they're okay, they're reliable, etc, but they are one of the absolute most stolen cars in the US which isn't cool, also they are really not up to the hype people put to them. honestly, discounting the RSX and NSX, up until this latest round Acuras are friggin useless, retarded cars IMHO, no offense to anyone that owns them. the RL and TL's were slow and handled like bricks, the Integra was rickety feeling and overhyped, and they were/are all overpriced. insurance is really high on most of them since they are the BMW of the rice boy world.

Toyota generally deserves their retutation and if you want a car that will put a smile on your face no questions asked, look at one of the MR2 convertibles; they are a complete and utter blast to drive. or you would look at an older ('83-87) Corolla GTS hatchback... tiny lightweight rear wheel drive car with the awesome, bulletproof 4AG engine, great handling and quick... but you'd be buying a 20 year old car.

and don't buy a used BMW unless you're prepared to pay through the nose for insurance and parts. BMW's do not live up to their reputation for being ultra-reliable cars... at least not after their leases are up... any time a car is tuned that highly from the factory (to get higher performance numbers out of smaller engines, etc) they lose it after a few years. plus, even though they tend to be tuned well from the factory, they aren't as good on any front as many other cars out there. a competent driver in a Prelude, MR2, or Jetta VR6/1.8T can outdo a competent driver in an E36 325i in the turns and a straight line and a Maxima or Impala will kill it in a straight line. the Camaro/Firebird will outdo it as well.

[Akira]

What about Vauxhall (or Opel if you're in Europe)? Their top line Astra's are quite nice. Even though I can't drive, so I have no hands on experience...

[mc9mm]

Here's some cars I'd consider:

Audi S4
284 hp, 4WD

Audi S2
230 hp, 4WD

BMW M5
315 hp, RWD

Nissan Sunny GTi-R
230 hp, 4WD

Toyota Celica GT
180 hp, FWD

Toyota Supra
240 hp, RWD

Mitsubishi 3000 GT
230 hp, 4WD

[chucklivesoninmyheart]

Hmmm...the only thing on that list I would like is the 3000GT and i'm sure I would be gouged for parts if anything went south.

[PonyOne]

crap, mc9mm, i'm sorry i put that in your message initially, i accidentally hit edit instead of quote. my sincere apologies...

anyway...


a used audi S4 will still run in the 20k range here. the 2 and 3 series audis (A2, S2, A3, S3) were never sold in the USA (they're just starting to sell the new A3's later this year). M5's are expensive and they weren't sold here in large numbers until the last generation so any of the few late 80's-early 90's models here are more collector's items and will run in the 15k range. plus they'll be expensive as hell to insure and repair...

we never got the Nissan Sunny/Pulsar GTi-R stateside, which is a same as they are freaking awesome little cars. i would love one... my g/f and i may be moving out of the country and if so we may try to get one when we move. that tiny little hatch with a 230hp SR20DET w/individual throttle bodies and all wheel drive/all wheel steering?? i'm totally there...

Celica GT's look cool but their performance isn't up to the looks. they're the same basic underpinnings as a Corolla. the older Celica GT-Fours are cool but those are fairly hard to find here and parts are expensive.

Supras are sweet and i would totally love one but they stopped shipping them here in 96 or 97, and so they are pretty hard to find. they and the last gen Mazda RX7 are killer sports cars but they were niche cars here, and so there aren't many out there, and they were mostly bought up used by tuners, so most of the ones left out there have been beat on hard and spares are rare and expensive. the cars themselves can usually only be found in the 10k range with a blown engine (RX7) or 250,000 miles (Supra). unfortunately they stopped shipping all the good Japanese sports cars (MR2, Supra, RX7, Silvia/240SX/180SX, 300ZX, 3000GT/GTO) here around '96-97.

Vauxhalls and Opels have never been sold in the US. well, a little bit in the 60's, and GM tried to sell Opels here briefly in the 70's but they flopped. the current Chevy Malibu is a rebadged Opel with a different front end.

the US gets shafted on all the good cars out there :(

[mc9mm]

crap, mc9mm, i'm sorry i put that in your message initially, i accidentally hit edit instead of quote. my sincere apologies...

Who put what where?



a used audi S4 will still run in the 20k range here. the 2 and 3 series audis (A2, S2, A3, S3) were never sold in the USA (they're just starting to sell the new A3's later this year). M5's are expensive and they weren't sold here in large numbers until the last generation so any of the few late 80's-early 90's models here are more collector's items and will run in the 15k range. plus they'll be expensive as hell to insure and repair...

Well aint life a bi.. ..ngo-table, the late 80's S4's are hell on wheels!


we never got the Nissan Sunny/Pulsar GTi-R stateside, which is a same as they are freaking awesome little cars. i would love one... my g/f and i may be moving out of the country and if so we may try to get one when we move. that tiny little hatch with a 230hp SR20DET w/individual throttle bodies and all wheel drive/all wheel steering?? i'm totally there...

Do it. DO IT! My friend has one thats juiced up to 300 hp and it's like a bottle-rocket-mini-gocart! Now that's good fun.



Celica GT's look cool but their performance isn't up to the looks. they're the same basic underpinnings as a Corolla. the older Celica GT-Fours are cool but those are fairly hard to find here and parts are expensive.

Well they're not lightning fast, but they're fairly quick.



the cars themselves can usually only be found in the 10k range with a blown engine (RX7) or 250,000 miles (Supra).

That's weird. Here you can get a good '90 Supra for 5000 bucks.

Ok at least now you know what cars not to buy!


the US gets shafted on all the good cars out there :(

Well, we get shafted on the american cubic inches.
I would love a ridiculously big truck, but I could never afford one since the
gas costs triple here and we have monster taxes on all trucks and diesels.

[PonyOne]

Who put what where?
i accidentally hit "edit" instead of "quote" (mod function), and typed in all the above text to your post and then put it up, realized my mistake, went back and deleted it... so... that's why there's the "edited by ponyone" thing at the bottom of the post.

Well aint life a bi.. ..ngo-table, the late 80's S4's are hell on wheels!
the first S4's we got were in the early 90's, at least that i know of, and they were very rare; at the time, Audi was reeling from a series of lawsuits in the US in regards to cars with automatic trannies jumping ahead at an uncontrollable amount of speed when put into drive and killing people... interestingly enough, all the people involved were in their 70's or 80's, and the sizes and placements of the pedals were unfamiliar to many who were used to larger american cars... go figure. sales on all their cars were low and few people here were willing to spend BMW prices for a car that people thought was kind of weird that killed people.

when you do find them, same deal... you get reamed on the cost of the thing because it's a collectable car.

Do it. DO IT! My friend has one thats juiced up to 300 hp and it's like a bottle-rocket-mini-gocart! Now that's good fun.
i've never really heard err of the things, and would die for one. kind of like a mini-Skyline. we got a version of the Sunny sedan called the Sentra, same basic thing (we never got the hatch here), and because they have the same chassis and engine bay, you can drop in the same awesome engine from the GTi-R in without much drama (the Sentra came in either a 1.6 liter lump or a 2.0 non-turbo version in the SE-R models as opposed to the awesome 2.0 turbo SR20DET, also shared with the Silvia and other models). if you put one in and leave it FWD, it doesn't handle quite as well, but all your torque/hp goes to the front two wheels instead of being distributed to four... which basically translates to :eek:

That's weird. Here you can get a good '90 Supra for 5000 bucks.
well, you can get an 86-92 Supra for between $1000 (beat) and $5000 (mint) here, and we got both the turbo and non-turbo, stick and auto versions here, but, they haven't caught on much with the tuning community here for some reason.

Well, we get shafted on the american cubic inches.
I would love a ridiculously big truck, but I could never afford one since the
gas costs triple here and we have monster taxes on all trucks and diesels.
i've driven ridiculously big trucks, having woked for Chevy for awhile, and can tell you they are no fun on a daily basis. i would only get one for work purposes, but, i doubt i'll ever need one for such...

it was pretty funny actually, when i worked there we had a lot of people coming from Scandanavia and Central Europe, and periodically Russia and the former USSR, to buy some of our trucks and ship them over; Avalanches, Silverados, Suburbans and Tahoes. most of the Russian ones went to mafiosos (every truck we shipped there was black on black...), and most of the ones that went to the EU were for promotional purposes for companies; they took them to races, sporting events, etc with their company name plastered on them and huge, 22-24 inch wheels, etc. seems kind of funny to me, but then, companies here will ship over Alfa Romeos and JDM cars like Skylines, Corolla Levins, and Silvias for the same reason.

[rockonman]

actually if you want a car that is fun to drive and is cheap with low insurance and good gas milage look at the ford escort zx2, they might not be the most hyped or flashy car on the market but aside from the above mentioned they also handle well and have alright acceleration and power.

[Cryptic Excretions]

I recommend the '88 Chevy Novas personally. No, seriously. I used to have one and I wish I still had it.

[HDJ]

-Mustangs: avoid. they are built like arse, they handle like arse, they resell like arse, and they feel cheap even compared to the Camaro, which isn't exactly the most inspiring-to-drive car ever itself. they also cost a lot for insurance and are high up on the stolen car list.

I agree with that statement.....I had a '95 Z28 Camaro in the late 90's and loved it. I'm now driving a '02 Mustang GT and let me tell ya, I want the Camaro back. I don't hate my Mustang, but I've only had it for about 2 months and I'm ready to trade it in on something different. Pony, you summed it up when you said they feel cheap compared to a Camaro. Mustang's are cheaply made, especially the interior.